SLO Planning & Building Permit Center is open during business hours, but permits are unavailable for intake or issuance until Tuesday, Feb 20th. The North County Service Center is closed Feb 9th - Feb 23rd. More Info

Customer Service Survey

Williamson Act Administration

What is this service?

The Department of Planning & Building administers land conservation contracts under the Williamson Act, which provides a reduction of property taxes to owners of farmland and open-space land in exchange for a ten or 20-year agreement that the land will not be developed or otherwise converted to another use.

Step 2: Submit Application

Step 3: Establish Agricultural Preserve

The Board of Supervisors adopts an ordinance establishing an agricultural preserve on the property, if one does not already exist.

Step 4: Sign Contract

Staff prepares a land conservation contract, which is then provided to the applicant for signature and notarization.

Step 5: Approve Contract

Staff schedules the land conservation contract on the Board of Supervisors consent agenda, at which time the Board will act on the contract.

When and where is this service offered?

This service is available throughout the year during regular business hours except during scheduled holidays.

Location, directions and hours of operation

Click on location name to show hours of operation, directions and phone information

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Old County Courthouse Building

Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

976 Osos Street Room 200 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

Tel: (805) 781-5600

Permits/Inspections: (805) 788-2076

Fax: (805) 781-1242

Frequently Asked Questions

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How long does it take to process a contract?

It typically takes 4-6 months to process a land conservation contract.

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What is the primary disadvantage of entering into a contract?

The primary disadvantage of entering into a land conservation contract is that the landowner is prohibited from subdividing the property under contract into lots (or selling existing lots) that are smaller than the minimum lot size designated in the contract.

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How are contracts terminated?

There are three (3) ways in which a land conservation contract may be terminated:

Non-Renewal: this is the most common method used to terminate a contract. Once non-renewal is initiated by formal request from either the property owner or the County, the contract expires 10 years after the year in which the non-renewal request was filed. The property taxes will usually increase during this non-renewal period as the taxable value changes from the restricted value back to the unrestricted value. The total conversion in value occurs over the 10-year non-renewal period.

Cancellation: a property owner may request contract cancellation at any time. The request must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and, if approved, terminates the contract immediately. However, cancellation can be approved only under extraordinary circumstances as provided in the Williamson Act. In addition, there is a one-time penalty for cancellation amounting to 12½% of the current fair market value of the property.

Public Acquisition: contracts become void for any property that has been purchased through public acquisition by a federal, state, or local government agency for necessary public uses and facilities.

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What is the primary advantage of entering into a contract?

The primary advantage for a property owner of entering into a land conservation contract is a potential reduction in property taxes on the property under contract.

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What is the term length of a contract?

Land conservation contracts start out with either ten (10) or twenty (20)-year terms, depending on how close the property is located to urban areas. Once a contract has ten (10) years remaining on the term, it is automatically renewed each year so that there are always ten (10) years remaining.